Rail fastener



Nov. 23, 1948. M. D. HUQGHES RAIL FASTENER Filed Dec. 6, 1946 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,454,454 I V f RAIL FASTENER Marion D. Hughes, Wilmot, Application December 6, 1946, Serial No. 714,432

The present invention relates to new and improved railroad rail fastening means, andis a continuation in part of my application for Railroad rail and crosstie clamp, filed October 2, 1943, Serial No. 504,753, now abandoned.

An important object of the invention resides in the provision of a device for attaching railroad rails to wooden ties so as to eliminate the use of rail retaining spikes.

It is common practice to fasten rails to the wooden crossties by the use of spikes and at periodic intervals it is necessary that trackmen examine the railsfor determining loose spikes. The use of fastening spikes also necessitates frequent changing of the wooden ties due to spike holes therein and the consequent formation of pockets or receptacles for Water in the heart of the ties bringing about rapid deterioration thereof.

A further object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a device of the character described which will effectively fasten the rail to the crosstie without damage to said tie.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of the application.

, In the drawing:

Figure l is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the rail fastening device, with the rail being shown in sections;

' Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fastening device.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the railroad rail and crosstie clampis generally designated by the numeral 5 and comprises end members 6 and I, respectively, adapted to be maintained in spaced relation, said end members being spaced a distance substantially equal to the width of a crosstie 8. The end members 6 and 1 each comprise a pair of downwardly converging rods 9 and I0, the lower ends of which are connected by means of a relatively fiat plate I I. Each of said flat plates II is formed with an upper pair of spaced openings I2 and a lower pair of similarly spaced openings I2a, which openings provide the plates II with upper cross bars I21) and lower cross bars I20. The bottom plate I3 is connected to the end members 6 and I by arms 24 which are each provided in their lower sides with notches 24a and 24b and which pass through a selected pair of the openings l2-I2a and engage a selected pair of the cross 4 Claims. (01. 2394.14)

bars l2bl2c. As is to be understood, the lower side of the crosstie 8 will be engaged by the bottom plate I3 with the end members 6 and I disposed on each vertical side of the tie. The bottom plate I3 has formed thereon a plurality of projecting prong-shaped formations I4 adapted to bite into the bottom face of the tie when placed within the clamp, thereby preventing sidewise movement thereof.

By reason of this arrangementxof the pairs of cross bars I2b-I2c and. the pairs of notched arms 24, the rail clampmay be readily adapted foruse in connection with the two sizes of crossties now in use.

The upper ends of'the rods 9 and ID are vertically arranged and are provided with exteriorly formed threads as indicated at I5 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Cross bars I6 are disposed between eachpair of rods 9 and III for bracing the same near their vertical upper end portions. As is readily apparent from an inspection of the drawing, the rods 9 and I0, flat plate II and brace I6 are formed integral.

The pair of substantially U-shaped clamp bars I! are mounted upon the screw threaded upper ends I5 and are heldin place by the nuts I8. The clamp bars I! contact the flanged portion I 9 of the rail 20, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. When using the clamp in accordance with the present invention, a steel plate 2| is preferably disposed between the rail 20 and the tie 8 so that the rail is not in direct contact with the tie. Each leg portion 22 of the clamp IT is formed with a tapered portion to conform with the taper of the rail flange I9 and therear portion of said clamp bars is formed with a shoul der 23 adapted to contact the plate 2| when said bars are tightened in position to equalize pressure on the threaded ends I5.

From the above description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent that the improved clamp will form the means of effectively fastening a railroad rail to a crosstie without the use of spikes or similar means being driven into the ties. condition and when first assembling the same, the bottom plate will be mounted between and engaged with the end members. After placement on the tie with the prongs I4 engaged with the bottom of the tie and with the threaded ends I5 of the end members disposed at opposite sides of the base of the rail, the clamp bars are brought into position for engagement with the flange of the rail. Tightening the nuts I8 will firmly force The clamp is originally in a demountable the plate [3 and its prongs l4 into engagement with the tie and at the same time securely fasten the rail to said tie.

When the rail and cross tie clamp is applied to the smaller of the two standard cross ties now in use, the arms 24 of the bottom plate [3 extend through the upper openings 12 of the end members 6 with their inner notches 24b receiving the upper cross bars I21 of the end members, and the railen'gaging bars H are applied to the end members wi'th the upper threaded ends l of said members extending through the innermost of the openings Ha of the rail engaging bars H; When the rail and cross tie clamp is applied to the larger tie, the arms 24 of the bottom plate l3 extend through the lower openings I2a, of the end members 6 with their outer notches 24a engaged with the lower cross bars 120 of the end.

members, and the rail engaging bars I! are applied to the end members with the upper threaded ends l5 of said members extending through the outermost of the openings i'la of the rail engaging bars ll. Also, it will be understood, of course, by those skilled inthe art, that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitu- ,tion-of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that theinvention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction de" scribed and, therefore, such changes and modification-s may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof, asexpressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: ::l. A clamp for securing a rail to a crosstie, comprising vertical end members for contact with the vertical sides of the tie, clamp bars for contact'with the flange-s of the rail, means for securing the clamp bars to the upper ends of the end members, a bottom plate for contact with the lowerside of the tie, and means for securing the bottom plate to the end members, said first and second means being adapted to secure said end members together at selected distances apart for 'ties of different widths and adapted to secure said clamp bars and bottom plate at selected distances apart for ties of different heights.

2. A clamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first'means comprises threaded members at the upper 'ends of the end members, spaced apart openings in each end portion of the clamp bars 'tobe engaged on said threaded members, and

4 nuts applied to said threaded members above the bars.

3. A clamp as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second means comprises vertically spaced pairs of openings formed in the lower portions of the end member to provide the end members with upper and lower cross bars, and arms carried by the bottom plate and provided in their lower sides with inner and outer notches, the arms extending through a selected pair of said openings in the end members in engagement with selected bars of said end members.

4. In an adjustable clamp for securing a rail to difierent-sized cross ties, the combination of a pair of end members adapted to engage the sides of the tie, each said end member having a lower flat plate portion and a pair of divergent rods extending upwardly therefrom, each said flat plate portion having spaced upper and lower cross bar portions, threaded portions terminating said'rods substantially in parallel relationship to each other, a bottom plateiextending between said end members and adapted to engage the underside of the cross tie for supporting the same, spaced arms extending from opposite ends of said bottom plate, each said arm having the underside thereof provided with notches spaced lengthwise of said arm, the notches of said arms being adapted to selectively engage said upper or lower cross bars of said end members whereby the latter support said bottom plate, a pair of substantially elongated U-shaped clamp bars, each said clamp bar having leg portions for engaging the flange of a rail and having pairs of spaced openings at opposite ends of said clamping bar for selectively receiving the threaded portions of a rod of each of said end members, whereby said clamp may be adjusted to engage cross ties of different widths and heights for anchoring the rail to the selected cross tie, and means on said threaded portions forcing said clamp bars against the rail flanges.

MARION D. HUGHES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

